Gymnastic apparatuses such as pommel horses are typically covered with leather covers. Because such covers are usually somewhat slippery when new, they are typically conditioned by roughening with scouring pads, wire brushes, knives, etc. Scouring is typically done by hand with a circular motion resulting in a visible pattern of swirls on the surface. Conditioning in this fashion entails cutting and gouging the surface of the cover, tending to result in shortened life of the cover, making it necessary to have the apparatus recovered periodically.
Gymnasts frequently apply chalk to their hands when practicing and during performances. This chalk builds up on the cover of the apparatus, filling in the texture leaving a smooth, somewhat hard surface that must be brushed or sanded to remove the chalk. Because of the pattern of swirls and rough texture of a hand-conditioned cover, it is difficult to remove chalk as desired. In addition to chalk, such substances as KARO Brand Corn Syrup, pine tar, and spray adhesive are sometimes used by gymnasts to improve their grip to conventional covers.
In light of these conditions, conventional gymnastic apparatus covers, which cost several hundred dollars, may wear out after relatively short periods, presenting substantial costs to schools and other gymnasium operators. Also, surface conditioning practices and uneven wear may impart substantially non-uniform characteristics to a cover, presenting potentially unsafe conditions to a gymnast as seemingly similar portions of a cover may exhibit substantially different properties. In some cases, falls may lead to serious injuries such as broken bones and paralysis. The need for higher grip surfaces for gymnastics apparatuses has been known for a long time.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,585,101 (Stratton et al.) discloses a material comprising a film having a knurled pattern, e.g., a series of ridges, on one surface and an adhesive layer on the opposite surface. U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,918 (Jofs) discloses a plastic film having a non-slip surface comprising spaced random patterns of rigid peaks and ridges formed of a second thermoplastic layer coextruded with and bonded to the plastic film. European Patent Application No. 81830005.5, Publication No. 033,301 (Gibello) discloses handle coverings for tennis racquets and the like which comprise sleeves with relief patterns for a good grip. U.K. Patent No. 2,057,894 (Sasaki) discloses a tape for grips of game and sports appliances, e.g., racquets.